Coca-Cola and Heinz partner up in anticipation

Iconic firms, The Coca-Cola Company and H.J. Heinz Company have announced a strategic partnership that enables Heinz to produce its Heinz Ketchup bottles using Coca-Cola’s breakthrough PlantBottle packaging. The partnership is an industry-first, and one that both companies hope others will follow to transform how food is packaged around the world.

Within the U.S., Heinz will launch PlantBottle in all 20-ounce ketchup bottles in June 2011 with ‘talking labels’ asking, “Guess what my bottle is made of?” Packaging will be identified by a special logo and on-pack messages.

Switching to the PlantBottle is another important step in Heinz’s global sustainability initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste, water consumption and energy usage at least 20 percent by 2015.

The PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles are made partially from plants and have a lower reliance on non-renewable resources compared with traditional PET plastic bottles.

PlantBottle packaging looks, feels and functions just like traditional PET plastic, and remains fully recyclable but up to 30 percent of the material is made from plants. The plant material is produced through an innovative process that turns natural sugars found in plants into a key component for PET plastic. Currently, PlantBottle is made using sugarcane ethanol from Brazil, the only source widely recognized by thought leaders globally for its unique environmental and social performance.

“PlantBottle is revolutionizing plastic, and our partnership with Heinz is paving the way for industry-wide collaboration,” says Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive officer The Coca-Cola Company. “This partnership is a great example of how businesses are working together to advance smart technologies that make a difference to our consumers and the planet we all share.”

Heinz’s adoption of the PlantBottle technology will be the biggest change to its iconic ketchup bottles since they first introduced plastic in 1983.

“The partnership of Coca-Cola and Heinz is a model of collaboration in the food and beverage industry that will make a sustainable difference for the planet,” states Heinz chairman, president and chief executive officer William R. Johnson. “Heinz Ketchup is going to convert to PlantBottle globally, beginning with our best-selling 20-ounce variety of Heinz Ketchup, which will reach consumers this summer.”

Coca-Cola first launched PlantBottle in 2009 on brands that include Coke, Sprite, Fresca, iLOHAS, Sokenbicha and DASANI water. By using PlantBottle packaging across multiple brands, the company is significantly reducing its dependence on non-renewable resources.

An initial life-cycle analysis conducted by Imperial College London showed that the use of PlantBottle packaging provides a 12-19 percent reduction in carbon impact. In 2010 alone, the use of this breakthrough packaging eliminated the equivalent of almost 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or approximately 60,000 barrels of oil.

Currently, PlantBottle can be found in nine markets including Canada, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Japan, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the U.S., with plans to expand to over a dozen new markets in 2011.

The iconic status of both brands will greatly raise awareness about the benefits of PlantBottle packaging, as Heinz will introduce 120 million PlantBottle packages in 2011 and The Coca-Cola Company will use more than 5-billion during the same time. Together, the companies will significantly reduce potential carbon emissions while adding more renewable materials to the recycling stream.

In time, plastic Heinz Ketchup bottles globally will be made from PlantBottle packaging and by 2020, Coca-Cola’s goal is to transition all of its plastic packaging to PlantBottle packaging.

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, the company’s portfolio features $14-billion brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia.
Globally, it is the number one provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees.
For more information, visit www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

The H.J. Heinz Company

H.J. Heinz Company, is one of the world’s leading marketers and producers of healthy, convenient and affordable foods specializing in ketchup, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant nutrition. Heinz provides superior quality, taste and nutrition for all eating occasions whether in the home, restaurants, the office or ‘on-the-go’. Heinz is a global family of leading branded products, including Heinz Ketchup, sauces, soups, beans, pasta and infant foods (representing over one third of Heinz’s total sales), Ore-Ida potato products, Weight Watchers Smart Ones entrees, T.G.I. Friday’s snacks, and Plasmon infant nutrition.
For more information, visit www.heinz.com.